Panel
Genes, Galaxies, & Discoveries: Engineering New Advances in Modern Science | Global Conference 2024
Milken InstituteSusan Karlin, Steve Altemus, Cara Altimus, Josh Denny, Reed Jobs, Kathryn North, Sue Carlin, Cara Ultimates
- Medical research is transitioning from isolated laboratory models to a global ecosystem requiring structural funding changes, international data harmonization, and collaboration across borders to address complex problems involving diverse genetic populations and environmental exposures.
- The oncology sector is described as being in the "springtime" of its life cycle, with a projected expansion over the next five years toward non-monogenic diseases and over the next decade toward broader populations via gene therapy, next-generation immunotherapy, and epigenetic treatments.
- Genomic testing is expected to increase diagnostic rates from 10 to 55 percent while lowering the per-diagnosis cost from $24,000 to $6,000, with the goal of reducing the cost of sequencing a human genome from its current level to approximately $100, integrating it into standard medical records for preventive care.
- Whole genome turnaround times have accelerated from 13 years to roughly 18 hours, enabling clinical results within three days, while federal initiatives aim to expand population cohorts beyond one million to capture global environmental exposures and ensure data reflects diverse ancestories rather than being dominated by European descent.
- Lunar landing costs are projected to drop to approximately $100 million per mission due to advancements in microcomputing, energy density batteries, and electronics miniaturization, with the U.S. government setting fixed-price contracts to leverage commercial entities for a sustained lunar economy.
- The space sector is shifting from individual missions to building a cislunar economy offering delivery, command, control, communication, and navigation services, with over a dozen lunar landers currently under construction in the United States following a 2018 executive declaration.
- Future scientific progress relies on "learning health systems" that utilize real-time data to update clinical practices immediately, alongside federal and private investment models that prioritize white canvas opportunities, meritocratic leadership, and assets from previously failed organizations.
- Data sharing strategies involve federated cloud structures where data remains localized while analysis is brought to the source, aiming to create a "Google Genome" accessible globally and to resolve the trust gap in science through transparent, participant-return programs.
- Investments in supercomputing, AI, and modeling are critical for processing large-scale genomic data and adapting lunar data platforms for autonomous driving and path planning, while cultural shifts emphasize rapid innovation, 3D printing for engine construction, and open-source strategies balanced with proprietary protection.
- Long-term expectations include a 10-year horizon where genomic studies achieve significant diversity to identify functions for two-thirds of currently unknown genes, routine clinical translation of genetic reports, and the expansion of precision medicine to prevent diseases and enable targeted interventions without trial-and-error.